Irragation question for hydro

Hi guys, Iv been lurking for some time and doing a lot of reading. I have built myself a hydro unit and have been testing it out and have a few questions that I couldn't find in the arrchives.
I'm going with a drip system and in my testing I have a single line to each 6" net pot. I put the grow rocks in and after 15minutes of feeding about 3/4's of the rocks maybe 4"s down the centern of the 6" potare wet. Is that sufficiant to reach all the roots that will be in there..?
Also, Iv been looking all over for some kind of "tip" for the end of the feeder hose that might spread the nutes out a bit more. All I can find are the sprinkler type tips.
any ideas or links would be greatley appreciated. Thanks.

All I can help you with is I remember seeing drip related parts at Lowes when I was there buying the "sprinkler" type to build my cloner. Can't remember exactly what they had but I do remember them having parts.

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Originally Posted by FLYINGRAT

Hi guys, Iv been lurking for some time and doing a lot of reading. I have built myself a hydro unit and have been testing it out and have a few questions that I couldn't find in the arrchives.
I'm going with a drip system and in my testing I have a single line to each 6" net pot. I put the grow rocks in and after 15minutes of feeding about 3/4's of the rocks maybe 4"s down the centern of the 6" potare wet. Is that sufficiant to reach all the roots that will be in there..?
Also, Iv been looking all over for some kind of "tip" for the end of the feeder hose that might spread the nutes out a bit more. All I can find are the sprinkler type tips.
any ideas or links would be greatley appreciated. Thanks.

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I have a bit of experience with drip systems. The biggest problem was that the drippers would plug up before the plants were mature. I ended up running half inch tubing along the pots, and then running 1/4 inch lines from the larger tubing to each pot. However, I just stuck the open end of that tubing right into the rocks and let her rip. No maintenance problems that way and it worked great. Not only did this move the nutrients around a lot more, but it also aerated the water. My plants were in buckets, and rather than putting a plug at the end of the large 1/2" tubing, I put a valve on it and pointed it directly into the last bucket. So, depending on how many plants and the size of your water pump, obviously the best pressure on the lines would be when that valve was closed. If however I felt there was too much nutrients going to each plant, I would open the valve at the end a bit and it would drop the pressure in the line (emptying excess water straight into the last bucket) thereby slowing the flow of the 1/4" lines.

keylime

Look into drip rings to spread the nutes all the way around the plant. There are several systems that have them shouldn't be hard to find at hydro store.

That would be the Waterfarm, however it doesn't run on a water pump. It uses air. The ring is served by a tube, maybe 1/2" in width. The air is pushed down near the bottom of that tube pushing the water up. These are not maintenance free however. There's a point near the bottom that gets particles of the nutrients eventually blocking the air.. so no water gets pushed up because the air is blocked. It does generally last for one crop, but I wouldn't trust it a second time around unless it is 'descaled'.

keylime

There are just straight 1/4 inch drip rings. Saw them in a few grow logs here recently.

Thanks for the replies guys. I figured it out, I made my own drip ring but it didn't really work. So I played around a bit and found that there wasn't enough pressure in the line."the holes were too big" I reduced the hole size and bingo.
Here's some pics of my first hydro unit, hoping to have it up and running with my first grow in a few weeks. All I need to get is the nutes and order my beans. Any quick advice is welcome. Thanks.

Wierd...I can't upload pics..? Never had a problem on other boards before...HuH. Oh weel you've seen one you've seen them all.

Use a t like this! This is what solved my very same problem! I just butted it up by the stem and let the flow cover 2 sides, instead of just 1! BIG DIFFERENCE for my situation! The sprinkler tips Clog very easy like said in previous post! Hope this may help!

For some reason I cannot post pics!!! Hmmmmm... Here is a pic of what I was trying to show you, = can you water 24/7 in hydroton?